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Tag: Tim Eyman

WA voters will face two first-ever tax advisory measures

WA voters will face two first-ever tax advisory measures

Washington voters will get a first-ever chance to give their non-binding opinion on a pair of revenue bills passed by the Legislature this year and signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire in May. According to Solicitor General Maureen Hart, voter-approved Initiative 960 triggers advisory votes on provisions of House Bill 2590, extending the petroleum tax that pays for the pollution liability insurance trust account, and Senate Bill 6635, an omnibus bill dealing with tax preferences, including a provision removing…

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Eyman tax crackdown measure qualifies for ballot

Eyman tax crackdown measure qualifies for ballot

Initiative activist Tim Eyman has secured a spot on the statewide General Election ballot for Initiative 1185, a plan to re-establish a voter mandate for a two-thirds vote in both houses for any taxes passed in Olympia. Even as Secretary of State Sam Reed was signing the certification for I-1185, state Election Division workers were already at work on checking signatures for I-1240, a plan to authorize a limited number of publicly financed charter schools in Washington. That measure, also…

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Charter school fans, Eyman submit initiative sigs

Charter school fans, Eyman submit initiative sigs

State Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle, a charter schools supporter, talks with the media after I-1240 signatures were submitted Friday morning. Sponsors of two citizen initiatives have submitted signatures far in excess of the 241,000 bare minimum needed to qualify, and appear to be in good position to make the November statewide ballot. That would bring to six the number of state ballot propositions facing the voters, including gay marriage and marijuana decriminalization. Friday — four months before Election Day —…

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Centennial celebration: WA initiative process turns 100 in 2012

Centennial celebration: WA initiative process turns 100 in 2012

Secretary Reed draws a smile out of Tim Eyman Secretary of State Sam Reed and the Foley Institute at Washington State University teamed up Friday for a centennial celebration of Washington’s initiative process being approved by the voters. Panelists described the historic sweep of a hundred years of  “direct democracy” being used to pass some of the state’s landmark pieces of legislation — and talked about the growing expense of qualifying for the ballot, the rising role of well-heeled interests,…

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Citizen initiative process now open for business

Citizen initiative process now open for business

Getting a jump on the Monday convening of the Washington Legislature, the citizen initiative process for 2012 got underway on Friday. Initiative activist Tim Eyman filed five measures, dealing with $30 car tabs, traffic cameras, supermajority for taxes, the initiative process and creation of an office of inspector general to investigate fraud. Typically, Eyman submits a number of proposals and drafts and decides later which one(s) to pursue with a full initiative signature drive. Sponsors of a “safe cannabis act”…

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Gregoire, Reed certify 2011 election returns

Gregoire, Reed certify 2011 election returns

Gov.  Chris Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed have officially certified the 2011 General Election returns, including statewide ballot propositions, including an initiative that ends state government’s retail liquor monopoly. Meeting in the governor’s office, they signed documents certifying the vote tallies. The state enjoyed a better-than-expected “turnout” of 52.95 percent, nearly 1.94 million ballots.  The turnout was 6 percentage points higher than forecast for the off-year election with no statewide contests such as governor, U.S. senator or president…

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WA 2011 election turnout: almost 53 percent

WA 2011 election turnout: almost 53 percent

Counties have certified election returns for the 2011 General Election, with results from 1.94 million ballots. Secretary of State Sam Reed and Gov. Chris Gregoire will certify the election next Monday. The state enjoyed a better-than-expected “turnout” of 52.95 percent, or 6 percentage points higher than forecast for the off-year election with no statewide contests such as governor, U.S. senator or president on the ballot.  Secretary Reed said Wednesday he was pleased with the turnout:   “This was our first…

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Another Costco booze measure back on ballot

Another Costco booze measure back on ballot

A Costco-backed liquor privatization initiative will be on the statewide ballot for the second year in a row. Initiative 1183 officially received the green light to go before Washington voters this fall when Secretary Reed certified it Thursday morning. His assistant, Ingrid Pharris-Goebel, stood by before she returned the signed document to our Elections Division. Here is the I-1183 certification. Our Elections Division’s signature checking team completed its random sample review of I-1183 late Wednesday afternoon. The I-1183 sponsors submitted…

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It’s official: I-1125 will be on ballot

It’s official: I-1125 will be on ballot

What was considered to be a foregone conclusion became official Monday afternoon when Secretary Reed certified Initiative 1125, allowing it to be placed on the statewide ballot. The Tim Eyman-sponsored measure deals with transportation tolling and revenue. Signature checkers completed the review on I-1125 Monday morning. Here is the official certification that places I-1125 before Washington voters this fall. The certificate signed by Reed said I-1125 supporters turned in 328,632 signatures, enough to use a 3 percent random sample of…

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State election crews begin initiative checks

State election crews begin initiative checks

It’s that season again.  State election crews are hard at work, hunched over computer screens and stacks of initiative petitions, checking signatures to make sure they are valid, registered Washington voters and that the signatures match the one on file. The inspectors are checking signatures for three initiatives this year, and began Wednesday morning with the measure submitted by initiative activist Tim Eyman, I-1125, dealing with transportation tolls.  As with the other two initiatives, the I-1125 campaign turned in enough…

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